Finding the Balance between Work Life and Personal Life
Even the most organised and methodical of people find it difficult to balance their professional and personal lives in harmony. It is becoming more and more difficult to separate the two due to increasing hours, increasing commitments and increasing everyday pressures; which are leaving so many people today immobilised by stress with no tools as to manage their time. Here are some well trialled tips to help you deal with balancing all the time consuming elements of your daily life including the ones you enjoy and those you cannot stand.
First of all, build downtime into your schedule. When planning the upcoming week be sure to included leisurely activities where you see friends and family. Having time with the people you care about allows you to be better motivated to do the more unpleasant things in your week. One tip that can come in handy is when you are out with your friends, get everyone to pull out their phones and plan your next catch-up in advance. This way, it is in the calendar ahead of time and you have something to look forward to when you are writing that accounting or sales report. Another good tip to help include quality time with family is to arrange a pre-determined dinner or outing each consecutive week. It may be as simple as saying to each other every Sunday night we are going to drop other things and have a nice family dinner. Making sure that you see the people who are important to you on a regular basis will make sure you keep up to date and don’t lose track. You will feel more connected and supported in your work life. They may also have a few tips to help you tackle that stressful issue at work or to connect with that difficult gossiping individual in the office.
The second tip that can help you find more time every day is to drop activities that consume too much of your time and energy. It can become easy to waste time with people or things that add no value to you. Stop googling celebrities and kitten videos or spending an hour or two watching youtube clips when you could have done all of your internet banking, organised your finances, or budget for the week.
The third tip I have for you today is to re-evaluate the errands that you are doing regularly, have a think about whether or not you can delegate any of your household errands and chores. It’s all about working smarter and not harder. Consider alternatives such as ordering shopping online, or getting one of the kids to mow the lawn. It can also be beneficial to combine the things in your schedule through multi-tasking. This can be as easy as calling up your close friend and arranging to take the dogs for a walk through the park, and hey presto two at once! You can also trade chores with your friends, if there is a task that you are quick, adept and somewhat enjoy doing then trade that for one that you are less fond of; trade cooking skills for babysitting duty.
One of the most important tips that I can give to you is to get active! I know, I know; it can be almost impossible to find the time to execise but it is one of the most important elements when it comes to keeping healthy and happy. An active lifestyle decresases the likelihood of getting sick, makes your body and skin glow, releases endorphins into your blood system making you feel more positive, energised, and happy and motived. Squeezing in exercise 2 to 3 times a week can help you in so many ways, and I’m not suggesting a long strenuous for a long run. Walking, swimming, riding and even rollerblading can get your heart pumping and those endorphins flowing. It has also been shown that having another person who you can exercise with will decrease the chances of skipping exercise, and increase the amout or exercise that you actually do.
Finally, remember that by taking better care of yourself you are able to strive better at work and also take better care of those around you. Remember to incorporate a little ‘me’ time and relaxation time into each week. Just by running a hot bath at the end of a long day you are able to unwind and feel rejuvenated and relaxed. Slowly build time in to your schedule that are filled with hobbies that you enjoy, such things like yoga, a swim, or a tea and a juicy magazine. It’s these little things that cause you to feel joy and happiness.
